This award recognises the significant gains to quality of care and productivity that may be achieved through integration of diabetes care. In addition to right care, integration of care should ensure continuous high quality care as patients move from one care provider to another.

Winner: Supporting the administration of insulin in schools by Nottingham Children’s Hospital

The management of children and young people with diabetes has changed dramatically meaning that many children require an insulin injection at school. In some cases parents had to give the insulin, marking the child as different and impacting on the parent’s working life. The team drew up a document setting out schools’ rights and responsibilities in caring for these children and established a rolling education programme to educate school staff. The result has been improved diabetes control in newly-diagnosed children. It has been recognised by Diabetes UK and the Association of Children’s Diabetes Clinicians as an example of best practice. 

Second place: 3 Dimensions of Care for Diabetes (3DFD) by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation

Many people with persistent, poorly controlled diabetes also have additional psychological and social problems that impinge on their ability to manage their diabetes care effectively. 3DFD is a service that fully integrates medical, psychological and social care for them. The overall aim is to improve diabetes control, quality of life and quality in care with associated cost efficiencies. A number of innovations were introduced and a model specifi cally designed to target those hard-to-reach patients with diabetes. This model has been adopted for its sustainability potential by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Diabetes Modernisation Initiative.

Third place: Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS) by University Hospitals of Leicester

Leicester has a multicultural population with a high incidence of diabetes. NHS Leicester City sought to provide quality diabetes care closer to home to meet the needs of different communities and address health inequalities. Following a tender process, the University of Leicester Hospitals Trust working with the PCT developed this Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS). The ICDS aims to provide integrated care using self-management principles; increase the capability of primary care to deliver intermediate care and reduce hypoglycaemia admissions. It has resulted in high levels of patient and staff satisfaction.